4 roster cuts who could be nice fits for the Detroit Lions

3. WR James Washington

Washington has now been released by two teams just this month, with the Indianapolis Colts joining the New Orleans Saints previously. He is clinging to an NFL future at this point, but getting another shot somewhere is not out of the question.

Washington was a second-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Oklahoma State in 2018. While he never lived up to that draft status, he did catch eight touchdowns over the 2019 and 2020 seasons and finished top-10 in the NFL in yards per catch (16.7) during the 2019 campaign.

In theory, the 27-year old Washington still has the latent skills he flashed in Pittsburgh before he was phased out there. As long as he's healthy, after spending much of last season on IR, the Lions could have him on their list of wide receiver options to look at. Campbell still knows some coaches on the staff in New Orleans, who could give him some insight.

2. PK Brett Maher

Maher was let go by the Broncos on Tuesday, to make room for a reported trade with the Saints for Wil Lutz.

Maher followed his playoff yips kicking for the Cowboys by missing two field goals in the Broncos' preseason opener, and prompting Sean Payton to declare the job open to competition. But recent struggles does not eliminate Maher's broader resume.

Over the last two seasons, Maher has made 90 percent of his field goals. Last season, he went 9-for-11 from 50 or more yards out and he has a long of at least 60 yards in three of his four NFL seasons. He had a 78 percent touchback rate on kickoffs last season (by comparison punter Jack Fox, the Lions’ kickoff guy, had a 71.4 percent rate late season).

If the Lions think they could have an answer for Maher’s yips, which any kicker can be subject to at any point, he could find a comfortable new landing spot in Detroit